


Watchdog

by literati42



Category: The Good Cop (TV)
Genre: Family Feels, Found Family, Friendship, Gen, TJ has OCD, TJ needs a hug, chosen family, mentions of domestic violence, mentions of police brutality, s1ep7 tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 15:46:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16370477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literati42/pseuds/literati42
Summary: Tag for season 1, episode 7.The case at the lodge leaves TJ doubting himself and Tony angry with him, but Cora steps in.Or, what I wish would have happened at the end of the episode and conversations that needed to be had.





	Watchdog

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on twitter @themythofpsyche if you want to talk more about this amazing show! This kind little fandom has been great to me.  
> If you are reading my ongoing Good Cop story, worry not, a new chapter is coming this week.  
> Also, there are references to domestic violence and police brutality. Neither is described in any detail, but they are in here so I wanted to warn you.
> 
> Much love, Good Cop fam.

Cora walked in when Tony opened the door to the home he shared with his son.  
“You here to talk some sense into him?”  
She turned, crossing her arms and arcing a brow. “If I was still your probation officer I would have some words for you, Tony.”  
“Me? What did I do?”  
“Oh what did you do?” she replied, “Burl talks.” Tony motioned in confusion. “Disown him? Threaten to walk out of his life?”   
He waved his hand, “I was trying to get him to see clearly. His priorities have always been…”  
She stepped into his airspace, finger pressing into his chest. “I watched your son stand by you from the moment I came into your life, and I know for a fact he did it long before that. I’ve watched him forgive every time you mess up, and I could set my watch to you messing up. I’ve watched him catch shit for being the son of a dirty cop, and he has never, ever turned on you even when it would have been to his advantage. That tendency in him that keeps him doing what he believes is right even if the entire department turns on him, that tendency is the reason you still have a son in your life. So, no I’m not here to talk sense into him. Today. I’m here to see if your son is okay.”  
She left big Tony standing there and walked into the kitchen. She saw TJ in the backyard, sitting at the table and staring into the night. She slowed her pace, walking out and standing there, watching him. “This where you come to brood?”  
He looked up slowly, looking at her for a moment in that way he did as he adjusted into the present moment from being wherever his mind just was. “Oh, hey Cora.”  
“Careful. Might get the bends coming out of thoughts that deep.”  
“What?”  
“Nothing,” she walked over. “Pining after that woman?” Cora may have been there to offer comfort, but the pull of their usual dynamic was a strong one.   
“What? No.” He gave a decisive shake of the head. “I wasn’t in love with her. I didn’t know her. I was interested, but…” another head shake, “I don’t feel deeply for people quickly.” A slight, awkward shoulder shrug. “It’s not that.”  
Now Cora came over to the seat across from him, folding her hands together on the table. “What is it then?”   
“Everyone saw it, and I didn’t. I let myself get close to a suspect. That’s why the rules exist, Cora. I should have followed the rules, stepped out of her life the minute she was a suspect. You break one…”  
“They all break?” Cora tilted her head, “That’s the thing you got out of all this? That you need to be more perfect? So, if you were perfect you wouldn’t have been fooled?”  
“If I obeyed the rules I wouldn’t have been fooled.”  
Cora shook her head, “That’s stupid.”  
“Excuse me?”  
“It’s stupid, TJ,” she said again, leaning forward. “What if she had been innocent? All those other cops, they dismissed her.”  
“They were right.”  
“This time.” She shook her head, “But they didn’t give her a fair chance. They didn’t look into it like they would have if the victim wasn’t a cop.” She shook her head. “I didn’t believe she was innocent, but I still helped you look into it.”  
“Thank you for that, really. I hope you didn’t get any trouble for it.”   
She waved her hand, “Don’t thank me. I did it because we should always do it. You want a rule to follow? Follow that one. There was doubt, and you chased down every lead until you eventually realized it was her. That’s what we should always do.”  
“She was guilty.”  
“This time. What about the innocent one next time?” She shook her head, “Angie Jenkins.”  
“Angie Jenkins?”  
“She was a cop’s wife. She tried to tell that he was beating her, but everyone looked the other way until he ended up killing her.”  
A wave of pain rolled across TJ’s face.  
“Terry Lawrence,” she looked into TJ’s eyes, “Young kid, pulled over by a cop…stop me if you’ve heard this one before.” She crossed her arms. “Nina Devoe. Accused of killing her cop boyfriend. Six years in jail later, new CSI evidence proves her innocent. Could have happened a lot sooner if anyone questioned the group think.”  
TJ shook his head, but he was listening. She saw him listening.   
“Maybe you feel like that woman blinded you to reality, but I promise you, those other cops were just as blinded by unquestioning loyalty. You and I, we know cops can be bad too. Growing up the way you did, you know it better than most. We know that their tendency to protect their own above others can be toxic. You’re willing to push for the truth, even when every other cop is telling you to stop looking. It’s never going to make you popular like a high bowling score…” He gave her the slightest bit of a smile at that, “But, I hope you always challenge these things. Maybe this time someone took advantage of it, but next time, maybe someone will know they can trust you even if the result makes you an outcast. Cops need people holding their feet to the fire. There are innocent people out there who fall on the wrong side of the cop brotherhood. That’s why I came to help you, and that is why Loomis stood by you and called me. Even if he wouldn’t admit it. With one call you would have had Ryan there too.”  
“My Dad is why I’m like this, why are you three different?”  
“Ryan is an awkward nerd. He gets bullied, keep your eyes open and you’ll see it. Loomis may pretend he just goes with the path of least resistance, but he is a good man. He stayed by you at the lodge, the whole time.”  
“And you?”  
She stood, leaning her arms on the back of the chair. “I’m the girl in the boy’s club house.” She tilted her head, “You found your way to the island of misfit toys, and we have your back.” She gave his shoulder a light punch, and headed back out the door.  
Tony caught the door before it could swing shut and occupied the spot she left behind. “Hey son, why don’t you come inside? It’s cold out there.”  
TJ looked up at his father and gave a slight nod. His father draped an arm across his shoulder and pulled him inside.


End file.
